Second Chance by Sian James Page B

to trouble you at this sort of time. Some people have no feelings.’
    â€˜He didn’t trouble me. I just felt very surprised about the whole thing and very sorry for him.’
    â€˜Could one of you please tell me what you’re talking about?’ Rhydian asked, his voice an aggrieved drawl.
    â€˜Pity you don’t listen to me a bit more. I’ve told you loads of times about Edwina mentioning something about Auntie Miriam and this fellow George Williams. You never listen to a word I say. You turn round and go to sleep as soon as your head touches the pillow and then accuse me of not telling you things.’
    â€˜My God, if I listened to every bit of gossip that passes between you and Edwina I’d be well on the downward road by this time.’
    I was enjoying their bickering. Paul and I were much too civilised – or too distant – to quarrel.
    â€˜Oh, be quiet,’ Grace said. ‘Can’t you see how you’re upsetting Kate.’
    â€˜You’re not upsetting me. I feel envious of you. You’re so obviously happy together.’
    They both looked at me with some surprise. ‘Come on,’ I said, ‘you are happy together, aren’t you?’
    â€˜I suppose I’m as happy as I can be with an ugly, bad-tempered chap who thinks I’m having another baby just to spite him.’
    â€˜I’m happy enough about another baby and I suppose I’m fairly happy with her,’ Rhydian muttered. ‘Even though she’s only got bubble-wrap between the ears.’
    â€˜I’ll come down to see your new baby. I hope it’s a girl this time.’
    â€˜If it’s a girl, we’re going to call her Jane,’ Grace said. And I realised by the way she said it, that she was making Rhydian a definite and important concession.
    â€˜I don’t mind what you call it,’ he said, with so little gallantry that I was immediately annoyed with him.
    â€˜Oh yes, you do,’ I said. ‘You want her to be called Jane because that was your mother’s name and she was a very wonderful woman. So you should tell Grace how pleased and thankful you are that she’s agreeing to it.’
    â€˜Well, it’ll be in private if I do,’ he said. His voice held out a warning to me as well as a tiny shiver of tenderness. ‘Anyway, what about this George Williams? Was he courting your mother, or what?’
    â€˜It was more than that. He said they were going to get married. It took me completely by surprise because she’d never mentioned him to me.’
    â€˜He’s making it up,’ Grace said. ‘He wants something from you.’
    â€˜No, I believed him. He seemed totally trustworthy. Anyway, what could he want from me?’
    â€˜I don’t know,’ Grace said. ‘But don’t be too ready to trust him. Would a woman of Auntie Miriam’s age be likely to want to get married? How old was she? She had a nice little cottage and a pension and a holiday in London twice every year. She had everything she could possibly want.’
    By this time, we’d finished our meal and were sitting by the fire. ‘My father was courting your mother at one time,’ Rhydian said, stretching out his long legs. ‘Did you know that?’
    â€˜Honestly, Rhydian, you’re really witless, aren’t you? Poor Kate has had one shock about George Williams and now you give her another. And I don’t believe this latest thing either. After all, Auntie Miriam was his sister-in-law.’
    â€˜Just like me and Edwina,’ Rhydian said, ‘so please bear that in mind and don’t throw us together so often... Only she wasn’t his sister-in-law. Auntie Miriam was my mother’s niece. So, strictly speaking, he was her uncle-in-law. Isn’t that right, Kate? Anyway, I hope I haven’t shocked you. Have I?’
    â€˜Not really. Though she never mentioned your father either. Only it